And he remembers that fateful evening

The memory is still vivid in my mind, we had just recently moved to Doha in Qatar, and we were living in a guest house with various other people from my dads work. I came home from I think school and walked into the room, the first thing I noticed was the absolute silence, it was the TV room, with the TV on my right and all the adults were sitting on the couch. As I turned to the TV in question, I saw a burning building and did not at first realize its full significance.

I was a confused young lad, but a quick explanation from my dad cleared things up. I remember shock, disbelief, excitement and lots of confusion. I asked my self why any one would want to kill them selves in such a scary way. I admit though, I think I was a little bit excited about the concept of America being under attack, alas I was a young lad and young lads are easily excitable by war and the such that doesn't involve them. What really bothered me at the time, was that they attacked the tallest building in the world, so now it wasn't the tallest any more. My young mind failed to realize the innocent lives that were lost in the incident.

But as I grow older, I continue to realize the complete significance of this event. 9/11 was the turning point of the millennium, it was like an omen for this new millennium; a bad start. It is what set the foundations for everything that has happened in the 9 years since the incident. Just imagine, if all that money spent hunting terrorists had been invested in AIDS research or world hunger? Imagine if all those millions effected by the after shock of the event; being the whole population of Afghanistan and every Muslim on the planet as well as the families of those lost in the tragedy, were not effected? Imagine all the dreams that were broken. the dreams for a better world which could have been fulfilled. Imagine all the great people who were prevented from obtaining their rightful jobs or positions due to the event, imagine what they could have done. Of course I'm actually seeking some of the smaller less obvious points here but as we all know how significant this event really is. I can really go on about this, but I don't see any point in doing so.

There were a few positive things that came out of the event, we are now safer than ever from terrorism and I'm pretty sure they added safety features in skyscrapers amongst other things.

That being said, we cannot undermine the killing of ~3'000 innocent people. Today, it does not matter who did it, or why they did it or even how. Today, it is these lives that we remember, lives that were simply going off on an ordinary day of work to never return again. Normally I would say that we all die at some point in life, and it is fates decision to choose when. However, just imagine what a cruel and horrible way to die that really is.

Without undermining all this however, let's talk about what has become of the world. I find the way that the Americans have started to justify this has really come out of hand. A prime example would be the Community center that a group of Muslims were trying to build close to "ground zero" Which actually wasn't really that close. Now obviously I know that this was over hyped by the media who obviously wanted to hide some other important thing. However, it is really the reaction that gets to me.

Relatives of those who perished in the event I think for the most part don't mind it so much. They understand that their loved ones did not die to be used as an excuse to limit others from their religion or culture. It is those Americans who live far, mainly not even in the city who are creating the uproar. It really is more of a psychological reasonings, were the media presents a single point in a specific way to make it more of a fact than an opinion.

I supported the building of the community center, not as a Muslim but as a human being. I know that to the Muslim community of New York, this center would serve a grim reminder of events passed, of events that they are then thought to never allow to happen again. I realize that I don't actually live in New York, but neither do most of the critics. This is where they say to me, "But you don't live in America, you don't understand the pride we have in our nation"

But then I ask you my friends, how can you have such a large amount of pride in your nation, but have no faith in your fellow Americans? Americans that are no different than you in the pride of their nation, but only different in the religion they follow.

What I believe 9/11 really did to destroy this decade, and the next few, was dash all hopes of peace. Things were finally looking up, sure, there were many civil wars around the world, and sure there was still USA in Iraq, but it all seemed like it could be ended. And then terrorism struck and it succeeded in its true goal; to strike terror into the hearts of people. Doing so, it ensured a never ending war, because my friends, terrorism can never be ended unless you get over the fear of it. It is only when a terrorist sees that his plan would not have the desired impact, or a suicide bomber realizes that his life will be lost in vain that it will stop.

Another interesting thing I would like to note, is the worlds reaction to this event. I realize it was a tragedy, but I honestly doubt the reaction would be so big if it wasn't the United States that were attacked. I guess some sort of an example would be the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

A marginally larger number of innocent people perished in those bombings, and to me, they were terrorism at its worst. The whole purpose of the bombings was to display a new weapon, to strike fear into the hearts of the enemy, to force them to surrender by scaring their people. The bombs were used on completely innocent cities, cities that were not directly involved in the war, but rather were simply a location for the population to live their lives. Now I can go on, but the point is that while the world reacted to this in one way, it was not nearly as decade changing as the relatively speaking, smaller attacks on the World Trade Center.

Why is that? Is it because this was the year 2001 and that was 1945? Is it because "alls fair in love and war?" Or is it because it was the powerhouse of the world; the United States of America that no one dares stand against that was attacked?

(p.s. this post was mainly written on 9/11/10, but I wasn't able to publish it until the 12th)

He continues his pursuit of knowledge

Grade 11, hard to believe but here I stand, I can't say that I finally made it, because I didn't. I am simply on another stepping stone of a long journey, a life long journey that will never be complete; the pursuit of knowledge.

Knowledge is one of the few things in life that I seek absolutely, that I seek to no end. It is the same with many people around the world, to me it isn't about being successful as much as it is for the sense of fulfillment and peace of mind one enters0 when obtaining knowledge. It is a funny thing, knowledge; no matter how much you learn, you will always know so little. But alas, that is the way of life.

And so it is, that I am in grade. 11. I can't say much about the year, after all it only started around 3 days ago and I already got to skip a day (today for eid) On top of that, my schedule is very very messed up. Observe the fact that I do indeed have 2 spares which isn't as bad as many, but worse than most. This means that I can't really say I have the current courses permanently as they are very much due to change. And that, is a real bummer because of how much I love my math class =[ Either way, I guess I wait and see.

I actually kind of designed this year to be a test run to see which subjects I'm more likely to go into when going into university, between Business and Sciences. (More on my future aspirations in another blog post) I hope that I am still able to obtain the necessary courses for my test run to be successful, and also the necessary ones to ensure that I am able to get the Business endorsement. If not, one may be expecting another blog post with a nice long rant about the guidance department. :)

Moreover, on the topic of time, it passes by a bit too speedily and almost every body agrees with me here. It is not an opinion but rather a fact, I was thinking to my self about how Dance of Death (released in 2003) was released 7 years ago, that's mind blowing, 2003, 7 years? 2003 is meant to be "last year" What is going on here my friends? Why does time mock us; encase us in it's seductive charms before spindling away without a trace and naught to re live it by but in a memory? And is it not somewhat ironic that the preservation of time in memories is just another on the list of things that time decays?

I will miss the days of my life so far, they have been the best of times for me. The only thing I can do about it, is set an expectation and continue to create great experiences. I must cherish every moment of the present without worry of the future or the pains of the past in my side.
I must live for the moment, or else not live at all.

A new era in his life

A few days ago, my brother left for the next stage in his journey; university. This single event has created a new section in the on going life of my family. Every day I watch my mother eat herself through worry and my dad glow in his personal pride. The house too feels exceptionally empty, and I can't even imagine what it will be like once my dad takes his leave back to Pakistan.

But how does it affect me? I suppose it is pretty significant. I've lived with my older brother my entire life, I really haven't known many days when we weren't in each other companies and there were periods of maybe a few weeks, but few of them. This in turn I suppose caused us to grow pretty close and know each other really well, and in turn gave us an ability to be really open minded with each other, to be able to talk about just about any thing. This isn't really a "guy" thing, so I guess my brother was more like my sister.

But as always, things are due to change and they do change. I feel stranger in my own home these days, I often find tad bits of scientific facts, or musical news or anything that I want to tell some body but I cannot, little pieces of information I would have told my brother. I find my self lacking someone to have an "intellectual" conversation with at home.

It's just one of those things to get used to I suppose, but it will be weird for a while, I don't really have as much of an outlet anymore so I'm guessing that this will cause me to start talking about stranger things more often with my friends, some thing I might want to avoid for want of mutual happiness.

So I didn't actually go to his university and drop him off, I guess it probably has something to do with the fact that I was fasting, it was a 3 hour car ride and it was around 5 in the morning and I really felt like sleeping. Of course, this isn't an excuse as I really didn't want to drop him off the night before, was I simply too lazy? or was I scared of saying the good byes? Probably neither, but who knows :)

Am I exaggerating in this post? Probably quite a bit. It's a deep thing I suppose, and pretty cheesy. My brother isn't meant to read this any ways, if he does every piece of information here becomes invalid.

I actually do have quite a bit of blogging to do to catch up, yesterday Christie sent me a quick mockery making fun of my lack of updating and then ran away before I was able to reply and now I must make up for it :D

As he observes the decline of modern society

What has become of our society now days? There is so much wrong, like this horrible video I saw today of a girl throwing puppies into a river.

But I'm actually going to talk about something else here, and that is the inert laziness that is becoming so prevalent in our generation. Of course, there is the big picture, with every body sitting at their computer or watching their TV, playing their games the whole day. But let's take it in closer, the laziness within the laziness if you will.

How, can it be that we sit at our computers or what ever else, the whole day. we aren't always doing something productive, yet we can be so lazy on our computers them selves. All around me, I see people speaking in de-generated "lolspeak" or what ever you wish to call it, using words such as "da" and then replacing words with numbers, it's hard to explain but allow a demonstration:
"goin 2 da mall"

How can one be, so lazy that he is sitting lazily enough on his computer, but on top of that, he fails to speak in a civilized manner because he is simply "too lazy" to type of "too, the and going"

Ask someone to search something up on google, the reply is an omnious "too lazy"
What? Why? You're sitting there, it'll take you around 2 more calories to go and search it up on google, how can you be this lazy?

Another good enough example, is people failing to read posts, looking for "tl;dr" [Too lazy to just type "too long; didn't read," really?] I sincerely doubt anyone will actually read this post thoroughly due to being, too lazy. This, is the decline of our modern society in a very specific example.

I don't wish to criticize anyone in particular, I admit that I myself do this often, but I am not proud of it, which sadly many people seem to be.

There are also often exceptions, I understand that people say "lol" as opposed to "laughing out loud," as these phrases have come to have a different meaning, with "lol" being an acknowledgement of reading, "I have read your post and understand what is going on"

My friends, if any of you have had the mind and ability to read this post, then great! Please I ask you, look to yourselves, look to your friends and find your inner laziness, and solve it. Will it really kill you, to clarify, speak, write a few extra words, use up a few extra seconds which you would other wise waste doing absolutely nothing?

I believe strongly that our generation has every thing really, it has the extremes of every thing. We have access to the greatest technology mankind has ever possessed, yet we often forget and get lost in our social circles, we forget our basic human morals and give way to the inner instinct, is technology the cause? Is it the way we are grown up? or is it simply just a few bad people that ruining Zammars' day

The Final Frontier

So I haven't actually posted for like *counts* *Okay, too lazy to count,* a while now... But that is probably because I have been rather distracted with THE FINAL FRONTIER!!! IRON MAIDEN'S new album!!! HOOOOOOO \m/ x100'000'666'701

It was actually released on the 16th, but what I did...was that I preordered the LIMITED EDITION SUPER HOOOOOOOOOOO AWESOME version, which Amazon decided to not deliver to me instantly, at first I figured I'd have to wait like 3 or 4 days and then rock out, but nooo, after like 3 amazingly painful days, I received an email which said that it won't be shipped until the 31st and alas the thought broke me down and I caved and illegally satisfied my ears :(

I was hoping to listen to it for the first time when I get the CD, but alas fate is cruel to me. Ah well, it was worth it anyways.

So This album is different, it's a lot more direct that some of Maidens other efforts and it's also very progressive but at the same time heavy and kindve straight forward, it's hard to describe but it's definitely very great to listen to. I think that for a lot of people it'll take some time to grow on them, since it's so dense but I loved it the moment I played it =S

I shall now go into my song by song detail :D

1. Satellite 15...The Final Frontier (8:41)
Okay, well this song is basically two songs which are lyrically linked and the same track, but they are very different. I heard the second part before the album was released, because it was pre released in a video and I always loved it. It's a very straight forward rocker with some great solos by Dave and Adrian. The vocals are different, and more atmospheric but I still like them very much.
Now, the first part (Satellite 15) is so different. When I first played it, my reaction was some what like "huh...woah...weird...sweet...coool....AWESOME" It's really experimental and it reminds me of the anguish of some poor astronaut abandoned in space, very interesting vocals at this part as well, great song that probably doesn't work for every one. Very very very experimental =p

2. El Dorado (6:48)
This was the other track I'd already heard, and I've heard it a lot since June as it was released as a single. Great song, it just makes you bob your head, you just do it to the pumping base and groovy drums. The guitars also work great and add the whole rock feel. My only complaint was I KINDVE wish that there was a bit more variation in the vocals during the verse, but I think Maiden and Bruce knew what they were doing best. It's a lyrical song, reminiscent of Somewhere in Time (Wasted Years like intro and stuff) I loved it because it also has great great solos from all 3 guitarists

3. Mother of Mercy (5:20)
The moment this track started, I knew it was Maiden. Beautiful melodic intro with folkish vocal melodies that leads into pretty heavy carnage with some overwrought Bruce vocals. I love some of the guitar work on this track as well as the vocal melodies, it's great. Adrian has a really cool solo (I think it's Adrian) A song about war, which I always love and as always, Iron Maiden captured the essence of it all perfectly, really not much else to say. I really really enjoyed my first listen.

4. Coming Home (5:52)
Although it starts out relatively heavy, this really is a beautiful balad song, I think it's a bit more of a powerbalad, but it's still really great. It has the signature Maiden soaring chorus, the kind which would reduce grown men to crying blubbers during a concert. It's a touching song, I'm thinking it's about coming home from a long journey which for Maiden would be a tour. Once again, I loved this song from the very first listen, Dave does a really cool little balad solo followed by a trademark Adrian one.

5. The Alchemist (4:29)
The first thing I thought when listening to this song, was that it belongs on Fear of the Dark!! It has such a Janicky feel to it, it's very bouncy, and generally fun, some great harmonies on it. Love it =p

6. Isle of Avalon (9:06)
ZOMG, my mind was blown over like 10 times when I first heard this song and it still blows over every time I hear it. What a song!!! It has this amazing atmosphere and the trademark Iron Maiden epic feeling. I love it. It's the kind of song which, when it ends you sit there and reflect on just how amazing it is. That, is the Iron Maiden epic. It also has a bit of an environmental feeling to it, makes me feel bad for destroying mother earth.

7. Starblind (7:08)
On first listen, I think I missed the first 2 minutes because I was still totally mind blown from Isle of Avalon. This how ever is another very epic song. It's pretty heavy, and it has some amazing lyrics, very very very strong song lyrically. During the verses there are these aweessomee little guitar fills going on in the back ground, they never get old!! =D I love it, great song =) Love the harmonies near the end as well =D

8. The Talisman (9:03)
K.O. I was dead, it was tooo much!!! So epic!!! This song blew my mind, again. It has this awesome little camp fire intro, and I got into that so much when all of a sudden BAM HEAVY CALAMITY I was like WOAH, YEAHH!!!!! Some great great singing on this one, great solos, great everything. Great performance, Good job Iron Maiden!!!!! This song kindve reminds me of The Legacy, it also has a bit more of a Janick feel on it then the some of the other ones, there's this Janick solo under a harmony and that's pretty cool.

9. The Man who would be king (8:28)
Same thing as Starblind, I was still recovering from The Talisman when I heard this. It's a really good song, I suppose it may feel less grand and epic than some of the previous ones, but It's still really good, most people seem to like it less, not me. I love the acoustic part with the vocals near the end. There's quite a bit of cool synths in the intro, I think it creates a pretty awesome atmosphere =p

10. When the wild wind blows (10:59)
YES!!!! 11 minute Haris epic! What a song! :) This really has some amazing vocal melodies, amazing harmonies, amazing solos, cool bass parts and a great atmosphere. It doesn't even feel like 11 minutes, because of how awesome it is. It's hard to describe it even. A very very touching song about a Nuclear holocaust. When I first heard it, it did sound very different to what I was imagining, but I think it sounded better, it's really different with some great rhythmic elements. I admit I was tearing up at the end of it, because of it's structure, meaning and the fact that it's the last song from an amazing album from an amazing band! :D

I am such a Maiden fan boy =)

The Final Frontier is a really good album, it has reduced me from a civilized man into a blubbering wreck where I can't really describe it without sounding a little bit stupid. Worth the listen, go take a listen! do it!! =D

UP THE IRONS!!!!



Note* When I say "Iron Maiden epic," I'm not always really referring to the song as being better than most other Maiden songs, no. Rather, it is one of the Maiden songs which has their signature grandness to it, a great and bold like BIG song that has a really epic feeling, the kind that leaves something behind when it's gone.

He's riding the 4 string highway

Today was a biiggg day!!!
well kindve;

First off, Ramadan starts tomorrow, which basically means that this handsome young fellow has to start fasting, meaning he's going on a diet :p

Ramadan is a strange thing for me, I don't give it the appropriate religious importance which maybe I should, I look at it in more of a family thing. It's an ordeal that my entire family takes on together and so I feel obligated to do so as well.

Well, the next month will suck :) (fasting lasts from sunrise to sunset, and since the days are so long these days, this boy will be fasting for a Looonngg time each day,) at least he gets to sleep half the day :)

On saturday, I have invited some good friends to come and join me in my humble sleeping chambers ( for a sleepover, more manly referred to as a Sausagefest) this should be a pleasant and enjoyable experience

But why
was
TODAY
such
a
BIG
day?!

BECAUSE, I bought a BASS GUITAR!!!
hoo (I am spoilt and now I am in debt =[ )
After watching Steve Harris and Geddy Lee live, this man was inspired and I knew that I needed a bass ASAP

Pic: related, the bass I got, well not THE one but the same model and color and every thing.

Bass guitar, for those of you who don't know is indeed a very unique instrument. Bassists will kill you if you mistake them for a guitarist, so make no mistake :)
It looks similar to a guitar, but it's played very differently; or you can play it similarly too but it's not really in the Bass vibe to do so :)

The 4 strings are tuned the same as the lower 4 strings on a guitar, but 1 octave lower and the whole thing is in Bass clef, pretty darn cool! :)

Now, I just need to actually get to learning it while continuing my guitar and drum journey, the challenge begins but it is one that I most eagerly await :)

August

Well, it appears that the summer is now closer to ending as opposed to longer

August is here. or at least, was here quite a few days ago.

So far, I cannot really describe this summer. I suppose I have been more active than most summers, but I have also been tortured more than most summers.

July was mind-blowingly amazing while retaining a sense of torturous servitude. I was volunteering in Summer camp for 4 weeks straight with little 3-5 year olds. Normally this wouldn't be so bad, but it really does mess with ones schedule, I had to sleep EARLY, like 12:30 in the night early during summer, I mean come on seriously? and then wake up at 8...No wonder every one got taller, except me =[

On top of that, you have to work every thing else you do around summer camp and thats a bother

So why was July AMAZING?!??? well obviously IRON MAIDEN, DREAM THEATER, RUSH AND MEGADETH, my 4 Favorite bands in concerts and T-shirts for memories sake :) yes, those days saved me, they did.

One should have seen me around the kids the day after the concerts :) :) :) =]


So now August is here...

August Agenda:

-Starcraft 2 / doing absolutely nothing
-Finish learning Metropolis on guitar, amongst other musical things
-Buy a bass :)
-Sausagefest/ parties, coolio
-Driving lessons every Saturday :p
-Remove Wisdom teeth
-wait, FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
-Ramadan - fasting
-Say bye bye to big brother going to university (finally! :) )
-Listen to tons and tons of music
-Daddy's coming home from...home :p (Pakistan)

but MOST IMPORTANTLY::

\m/ \m/ \m/ \m/ AUGUST 16TH, THE FINAL FRONTIER!!!!!! \m/ \m/ \m/ \m/

[New Iron Maiden album coming out, SO SO SO SO SO SO SO excited]
...and yes, they do still make albums, and tour and are crazy awesome :)